Salon EA is a renowned, high-quality beauty parlor in Sofia, Bulgaria, serving customers since 2012. Over the years, the salon has built a strong reputation, becoming a recognizable name in the beauty industry.
For this project, we were tasked with selecting a business and developing a digital solution featuring a product the company does not currently own or use.
Before this project, Salon EA relied on a third-party application to manage bookings. This app allowed users to choose from various service providers in the area, alongside traditional phone and email bookings. However, this system led to reduced profits and limited control over the salon’s customer interactions.
Our research revealed that most people prefer to book appointments online, often outside of business hours. Considering this insight, I developed a dedicated mobile booking application tailored to Salon EA’s needs. This app streamlines the booking process, enhances marketing efficiency, and fosters customer loyalty. Additionally, it provides a competitive edge, as many rival salons do not have their own booking platforms.
The EA App eliminates wait times, simplifies appointment scheduling, and enhances overall convenience. Through the app, users can:
For employees, the app improves workflow by making it easier to track and manage bookings, ultimately optimizing salon operations. In the long run, this digital solution positions Salon EA for sustained growth and success.
<p-under-img>The app was developed in close collaboration with other designers and developers working on the salon’s website update. During this process, a new logo and a cohesive set of design guidelines were created to unify the salon’s digital and physical presence. The primary focus in designing the app was to ensure simplicity, user-friendliness, and a seamless booking experience.<p-under-img>
To design the app, we utilized Design Thinking alongside other service design models to evaluate the current landscape, analyze the salon’s services and local market, and identify potential opportunities. This involved extensive desktop research, in-depth interviews with the salon’s owner and customers, an online questionnaire, and a competitor analysis. After gathering insights, we created prototypes, tested them, and refined the design based on feedback from the target audience.
For inspiration, my team and I explored platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and We Heart It, collecting images related to beauty, color palettes, and textures. We also included interior design photos to align the app’s aesthetic with the salon’s ambiance.
Initially, our mood boards had a messy layout, but instead of simply compiling images, we sought synergies between them. By rearranging colors and incorporating new elements, we refined our vision and finalized the color palette that best represented the brand.
After sketching multiple layout variations, I began structuring the core pages using basic shapes as placeholders for images, text, and buttons. This step helped visualize the overall flow and functionality without focusing on fine details.
Next, I recreated the wireframes in Adobe XD, using only grayscale elements to avoid distractions from colors and typography. This minimalist approach ensured unbiased user feedback during prototype testing. Throughout this stage, I refined the design by removing unnecessary elements and incorporating new ones to improve usability and navigation.
The final step before developing a functional prototype was creating mock-ups. With most structural decisions already made during wireframing, this stage focused on applying colors, selecting typography, and incorporating images and other visual elements to enhance the overall aesthetics and align the design with the salon’s brand identity.
